Telescoping stairway

ABSTRACT

A telescoping stairway is provided which is particularly suitable for use as a fire escape ladder. The stair treads are carried on a plurality of telescoping channel members wherein the treads of the lowest section are fixed and the treads of the upper section or sections fold to permit the telescoping action. A telescoping handrail is also provided.

o i 1 1 Unite States atet 1191 [111 3,871,479

Pelto Mar. 18, 1975 TELESCOPING S TAIRWAY 2,448,335 8/1948 Wallace182/208 2,736,482 2/1956 Borden [82/207 [76] Invent Clarence P910130Duboce Ave-1 2,901,056 8/1959 McConologue 182/208 Francs/CO1 callf-94103 2,923,373 2/1900 Ledgerwood 182/106 22 Filed: y 13 19 3 3,386,5316/1968 53116111 182/85 PP 379,092 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. MachadoArtur/12y, Agent, or Firm-Robert G. Slick [52] US. Cl 182/86, 182/106,182/195,

200 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. E06c l/38 A telescoping stairway isprovided which is particu- [58] Field of Search 182/83, 84, 85, 86, 166,larly suitable for use as a fire escape ladder. The stair 182/167, 95,207, 208, 209, 210, 97, 98, treads are carried on a plurality oftelescoping channel 106, 195 members wherein the treads of the lowestsection are fixed and the treads of the upper section or sections [56]References Cited fold to permit the telescoping action. A telescopingUNITED STATES PATENTS handrail is also provided. 1,192,387 7/1916Cardarelli 182/67 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 57 65 .2 z 4 1 I I,

I I I I I l 75 I! 45 III! [I], I I? II I,

U I I I I,

TELESCOPING STAIRWAY SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Telescoping stairways havelong been in use and such stairways are particularly adapted for use asthe lowest section of a fire escape so that the fire escape will notprovide access to a multiple story building and will not occupy groundspace when the stairway is in the up position. Such telescopingstairways are also suitable for use as attic stairways wherein access isnot frequently required.

Such stairways as proposed in the past have not been fully satisfactory.For one thing, such stairways have ordinarily had a plurality of exposedparts which are subject to damage. Further, such stairways frequentlyare somewhat shaky and are ordinarily provided with small treads.

In accordance with the present invention, a strong stairway is providedwherein the stringer members are channels of decreasing size whichtelescope. By provid ing such channel members which have a telescopingaction, a very sturdy structure is provided and one which does not tendto shake when in use.

The present invention provides a truly telescoping handrail with asmooth, continuous outer surface.

Various other advantages of the present invention will be brought out inthe balance of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a stairwayembodying the present invention, showing it in extended form.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial side view, partly in section, showing theoperation of the folding treads.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the stairway shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a stairway embodying thepresent invention showing the way in which the stringers nest together.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a stairway embodying the present inventionshowing the folding action.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing byreference characters the stairway of the present invention includesthree major sections, namely, a bottom section 7, a middle section 9 anda top section 11. These three sections are adapted to be mounted on thesecond floor balcony of a fire escape generally designated 13.

The bottom section includes U-shaped channel stringer members and 17having a plurality of fixed treads 19 mounted therebetween. Crossbracing members 21 may also be provided. In addition, the stringerssupport uprights 21 to support the lower section of handrails 23.

The second section 9 of the stairway includes side stringer members 25and 27 which are also channel structures having a web 24 and flanges 26and 28 but are slightly larger than the channels 15 and 17 so that theycan mesh or telescope as is best seen in FIG. 3. As

guides for the channel members of the next lower section. In addition,the lower section is provided with stops 35.while the next adjacentsection is'provided with stops 37v which prevent the bottom section fromcompletely telescoping with the intermediate section which wouldinterfere with the operation of the cable lifting device, laterdescribed.

In the intermediate section, the treads 39 are welded onto bars 41 whichare mounted for rotation in holes in a bracket member 43 which is weldedor otherwise suitably fastened at the top inner portion of flange 26.Thus, these threads can rotate and lie parallel to the top flange 26 ofthe channel member and can swing downwardly and rest against the lowerflange 28in which position they are horizontal with the surface of theground.

Top member 11 has similar channels and the treads 45 of the top memberare similarly mounted so that they can rotate to lie parallel with theflanges or lie across the web in a horizontal position. The top member11 is mounted in a frame member 47 which is pivoted at point 49 on frame51 of fire escape 13.

The bottom'section has pulleys 53 and 55 mounted thereon; a cable 57 isattached to a bracket 59 at the top of frame 47 and passes over a pulley61 which is located on frame 51 and a second pulley 63 also mounted onframe 51 and then downwardly over pulleys 53 and 55 and upwardly to awinch 65 mounted on the oppo site side of the frame 47. Pulley 61 ismounted some distance from pivot point 49 and this distance will beabout equal to the distance between the pivot 49 and the point ofattachment to the cable 59.

Telescoping handrails are also preferably supplied wherein theintermediate section has support members 67 for supporting handrails 69while the top section has a pair of uprights on each side 71 and 73 forsupporting the handrail 75. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, handrail 23is smaller in diameter and telescopes with handrail 69 while similarly69 is smaller'and telescopes with handrail 75.

The operation device can now be easily seen. When the stairway is downin the position as shown in FIG. 1, the treads on sections 9 and 11 arehorizontal and the sections extend to the ground. If one now turns thewinch 65, the cable will first tend to draw the sections together and asthe first section 7 rises into second section 9, treads 39 of the secondsection will rotate allowing a full telescoping action as is best seenin FIG. 2. Similarly, as the first section closes with the first, thetwo sections will then telescope together into the third section 11 andin the same manner the treads 45 of the top section will rotate,allowing full meshing. When the sections are fully meshed, stops 35 willbe against the stops 37 preventing further meshing while similar stopsbetween the second and third sections keep the second and third sectionsfrom completely meshing. At this point, as the winch continues torotate, the telescoped stairway will now swing upwardly as is shown inFIG. 5 by the arrow from the position shown in solid lines to theposition shown in dot-dash lines. A ratchet (not shown) on winch 65 nowholds the stairway in position. To lower the stairway it is onlynecessary to release the ratchet whereupon the stairway can be loweredby the use of the hoist 65.

Various variations can be made on the exact structure shown withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. For instance, threesections have been shown but the stairway might be made in two sectionsor it might even be made in four or more sections. Other means can beused for raising and lowering the stairway.

I claim:

I. A compact and rugged telescoping stairway comprising in combination:

a. A first, elongate bottom stairway section comprisinga pair ofsubstantially parallel, spaced apart U- shaped channel members withtheir open sides facing each other and having a plurality of treads infixed relationship between said channel members,

b. a second section mounted above said first section, said secondsection including a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallelU-shaped channel members of slightly larger size than the channelmembers of the first section, whereby the channel members of the firstsection can telescope within the second section,

c. the channel members of the second section each consisting of a centerweb section with front and rear flanges attached thereto,

d. a plurality of tread members mounted between said second channelmembers, the ends of said tread members extending between said flanges,pivot means on each of said tread members pivoting said tread member ata point adjacent the front flanges and the rear of the tread memberbeing free, whereby each of said tread members can lie in a firstposition parallel to and closely adjacent to the front flanges and canrotate to a second position wherein the tread member rests directly atan end portion thereof on the rear flanges and is directly supportedthereby, whereby,

e. said first section can telescope into said second section pushing thetread members of the second section from the second position wherein therear surfaces of the tread members are supported directly by the rearflanges to the first position wherein the tread members lie parallel tothe front flanges.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each said section supports ahandrail, the handrail of said first section being tubular andtelescoping within an enlarged tubular section carried by said secondsection.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the telescoping stairway includes atop section, a middle section and a bottom section and wherein the topsection is pivoted to swing between two positions and having cable meansattached to said top section whereby said cable means will telescopesaid sections and move the telescoped sections from a first position toa second position.

1. A compact and rugged telescoping stairway comprising in combination:a. A first, elongate bottom stairway section comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel, spaced apart U-shaped channel members with theiropen sides facing each other and having a plurality of treads in fixedrelationship between said channel members, b. a second sectioN mountedabove said first section, said second section including a pair of spacedapart, substantially parallel U-shaped channel members of slightlylarger size than the channel members of the first section, whereby thechannel members of the first section can telescope within the secondsection, c. the channel members of the second section each consisting ofa center web section with front and rear flanges attached thereto, d. aplurality of tread members mounted between said second channel members,the ends of said tread members extending between said flanges, pivotmeans on each of said tread members pivoting said tread member at apoint adjacent the front flanges and the rear of the tread member beingfree, whereby each of said tread members can lie in a first positionparallel to and closely adjacent to the front flanges and can rotate toa second position wherein the tread member rests directly at an endportion thereof on the rear flanges and is directly supported thereby,whereby, e. said first section can telescope into said second sectionpushing the tread members of the second section from the second positionwherein the rear surfaces of the tread members are supported directly bythe rear flanges to the first position wherein the tread members lieparallel to the front flanges.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein eachsaid section supports a handrail, the handrail of said first sectionbeing tubular and telescoping within an enlarged tubular section carriedby said second section.
 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein thetelescoping stairway includes a top section, a middle section and abottom section and wherein the top section is pivoted to swing betweentwo positions and having cable means attached to said top sectionwhereby said cable means will telescope said sections and move thetelescoped sections from a first position to a second position.